The UK’s death toll has continued to fall today after 177 people have died after contracting coronavirus.

NHS England recorded 149 more deaths in hospitals but this does not take into account fatalities across other settings like care homes.

Across all settings, Scotland announced 15 more deaths, Wales had 10 and Northern Ireland had three.

A preliminary daily tally of 177 is calculated by adding up the individual counts announced by each of the home nations.

The latest figures come after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed there are still 18 councils in England that have not yet passed the peak of the virus.

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Although the nation as a whole is seeing a decrease in the number of Covid-19 deaths in hospitals and the wider community, in some parts the opposite is true. 

North Somerset, Preston, Doncaster and Carlisle are among the 18 areas enduring their worst weeks so far, according to the ONS data.

The data backs the theory for regional or ‘local lockdowns’ rather than a national one in a bid to control the spread in specific areas where there is a flare-up.

Ministers have said they are looking into this option, which could lead to schools, businesses and workplaces being closed in areas with a lot of infections.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said earlier this week: ‘We will have local lockdowns in future where there are flare-ups and we have a system we are putting in place with a combination of Public Health England and the new Joint Biosecurity Centre, along with the local directors of public health who play an absolutely crucial role in the decision-making in the system, to make sure if there is a local flare-up there is a local lockdown.

‘And so local lockdowns will be part of the future system that we put in place as part of the NHS test-and-trace system.’

It is hoped that NHS England’s newly launched Track and Trace system will help identify Covid-19 cases faster so local councils can take appropriate action of their area.

Ministers believe the scheme, which went live yesterday morning, will be key in allowing further lockdown restrictions to be eased as it aims to catch Covid-19 cases much earlier.

Next week, further restrictions will be lifted as most primary schools are set to reopen and people will be allowed to meet outside in groups of six.

The group can be made up of people from different households as long as the meeting is outdoors and maintaining social distancing at a two-metre distance.

Outdoor markets and car dealerships will also reopen as the virus does not spread as easily outside.

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